Lukie’s shark costume is finished!
and it ROCKS!
It’s all felt and took me about 2 hours, from cutting to last stitch, to complete (notice the piles of felt all over the floor). After combing the internet for the last few weeks for ideas on how I was going to make it, I got my main inspiration here and just winged it.
Since my new machine is broken again – so broken that I have to send it back to the factory! – I had to re-animate my only remaining machine (I threw all but one away when I got the fabulous new machine that breaks down every other week). I was able to put the entire costume together with the serger, except the mouth. Thankfully I was able to get a good stitch out of that old machine and kept her going enough to finish! (fingers crossed I can finish Zack’s shark too!)
This was really simple to put together, the bulk of the time was cutting. I had Luke lay down on doubled up felt, traced the shark shape and marked for armholes then cut. I took one half and cut out the mouth, then the gums and teeth – careful to match them to the mouth. Then I just layered the gums and teeth into the mouth and straight stitched them on. The back fin is just three layers of felt serged together on two sides then turned out. I pressed then serged the open end up and cut a slit the same length into the back of the shark. I slipped the serged end into the slit and then serged it all together and to my delight it actually stands up on its own! For the arm ‘fins’ I just folded over some felt and cut in the triangle shape then serged them to the back piece where I marked for armholes. I was going to attach them like real sleeves but on my trial of that it ended up looking like a football player and I opted for the fins to actually be behind his arms. So from the back it really looks very sharky. After attaching the arm fins and adding the black eyes I stitched the front and back together leaving openings for the arms.. and that’s it!
He loves it and won’t take it off..
If anyone noticed, it’s not a tiger shark like the boys wanted. I totally goofed and was so excited to put the big fin on that I forgot the tiger stripes.. but Luke didn’t notice so don’t tell him! I have to wait for Zack to get home from school to measure him for his.. this Halloween is going to be awesome!!
Threaded Alchemy 
You’re amazing with a sewing machine! Glad my kids don’t see the things you can create, I’d never hear the end of it.
awesome, it’s really cool 🙂
@nevragn You are correct, you would never hear the end of it! I never hear the end of it! I make something cool for one of them and the rest are lined up for something equally cool or cool-er than their siblings. They are lucky that I enjoy sewing so much, see they think I’m doing stuff for them but really I’m just indulging my hobby.. hahaAnd thank you!
@sarah@blackhk – Thanks!
I see this was from years ago, but do you have any other pictures? I love this shark costume and so does my son. I really want to make one like this. It I need a little more help.
I’m sorry, I don’t have any more pictures that would aid in construction. However, if you have a specific question I would be happy to try to explain in better detail.
Do you have a pattern I could use?? My son has been BEGGING me for a shark costume for Halloween!!!
I never used a pattern back when I made these. I actually laid the fabric out on the floor, had the boys lay down, and traced a shark shape around them. Basically just a point above their head and went down to about the knee. I then split the back in half and cut out a fin shape (which now I would have done in fun foam if I could have) and stabilized it with a heavy interfacing and just sewed it right into the back. On the front I just held it near their faces and marked where the opening needed to be then folded in half and cut out a mouth big enough for their whole face to be exposed. Then with the negative piece cut out you can use it as a template for the teeth and gums. When you sew it all together leave space for arm holes, cut out some more fin shapes and sew them into the back of the arm holes. This was one of those projects that was also an experiment.. haha